Gunshots, earthquakes, burglars and a tornado – England can put it all behind vs Croatia

Last Updated on 17 June 2026

No other nation at this World Cup has endured what England have endured since setting foot on American soil. Thomas Tuchel’s side have barely had a moment’s peace, and they haven’t even kicked a ball in anger yet.

What follows reads less like a pre-tournament preparation and more like a disaster movie. Yet, remarkably, morale inside the camp reportedly remains high.

And tonight against Croatia, in their World Cup opener, all of it becomes completely irrelevant.

England’s stay in the US been nothing short of challenging

It started even before the squad arrived in Kansas City. On Saturday morning, June 6, a shooting occurred near England’s hotel and training base, nine people sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the incident, which unfolded roughly 4.6 miles from the Swope Soccer Village training facility in the early hours. The headlines were deeply unsettling.

Then came the earthquake. A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the western coast of Cuba, sending tremors across Florida, where Tuchel’s squad were holding their pre-tournament camp in Orlando. Nobody was injured, but several buildings were evacuated, and the sheer unexpectedness of it rattled staff and players alike.

Moreover, England didn’t even arrive in Kansas City with their full kit intact. Match boots, balls and training equipment were stolen from a vehicle transporting the squad’s gear to Swope Soccer Village, with reports suggesting only a football remained from the entire shipment.

Boots belonging to star players potentially including Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were among the missing items. Subsequently, two suspects were arrested in connection with the theft, but the disruption to England’s preparations was real and significant.

And then, to complete the set, on their very first evening in Kansas City, the England camp, received an emergency alert warning them to take immediate shelter during a tornado warning, with the squad confined to their hotel in Prairie Village. Winds of up to 80 mph were forecast.

The FIFA fan festival closed early as a precaution, via Yahoo. Additionally, Tino Livramento’s calf injury forced his withdrawal from the squad entirely, with Trevoh Chalobah called up as his replacement. Five separate disasters in under two weeks. No other nation comes close.

Croatia is England’s dreamlike opportunity to silence the noise

Yet here is the thing: England cannot control earthquakes, burglars, or tornados. What they can control is what happens at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this evening. And fascinatingly, the fixture comes loaded with historical weight, especially given Tuchel’s big calls.

Croatia knocked England out in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, before England avenged that defeat with a 1-0 group stage win at Euro 2020. Consequently, this rivalry carries genuine edge, and a commanding performance tonight would immediately erase every chaotic headline from the past fortnight.

Furthermore, England’s squad contains the quality to dream much bigger than this group. Harry Kane leads the line at the peak of his powers. Jude Bellingham controls the tempo from midfield, should he start. Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka supply the creativity on either flank.

Tuchel has quietly built something cohesive: a team with a clear identity and genuine belief. England have never won it away from home. It could change here and it all begins tonight. The misfortune has tested them. Now Croatia gets to find out if it has broken them.